Springtime, Parktime

In a rare moment of collectivity, the whole gang plays within a metre or so of each other. (Note the eye-catching hats!)
Collectivity? Ya think?
Mr. Impish doesn't think so, either.
"Let's blow this popsicle stand, doll."
The Junior Set break up the collectivity and
take off at breakneck speed for
further adventures...

One Windy Day

We had a lot of fun today!

It wasn't so much that we got to sit in the sun and play with straws.

Nor even that we contemplated a paint-spattered paper while relaxing in the sun...

No, those straws had a PURPOSE! (You can breathe easy: It was not sucking up the paint. All appearances to the contrary, that is not what she is doing.)

Nor shoving the paint around with the end of the straw, though some of that did go on...

No, we took our piece of straw and our watered-down paint, and we BLEW, as hard as we could.
Blew and blew and blew.
(Just like the wind on this windy day, you see?)

We blew and blew, and rested a bit, and blew some more.

Willa enjoyed the event from the comfort of her personal observation post.

(Left to her own devices, she'd have enjoyed the event from the emergency room, after fracturing some vital body part falling down the porch steps... Thankfully, she was a little drowsy after our long walk this morning, and quite content, once securely buckled, to sit and watch.)


You blow and blow the paint around, and then you notice that your friend's hair is all red and yellow and blue, what with all the trailing around in the paint that's been happening. That is very funny! Then you notice that someone else has blue paint spatters on her nose. And just about the time you calm down from THAT hilarity, your other friend blows yellow paint all over your sleeve. (Sorry about that, whoever does the laundry at your house.)

Which (if you're not the guy doing the laundry) is just about fall-over-breathless funny.

Spring is windy. This was our Windy Craft for Spring. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Menu Monday, April 26 - 30 (Updated with Feedback)

Dominic's daddy (David) has asked if I could keep him apprised of what Dominic is eating during the day. Since I posted last week's menu last Monday, it seems only logical to make this a regular event, so everyone can be in the loop at once.

Updated: It's also occurred to me it might be useful if you knew how your child(ren) responded to each day's offerings, so I'll add that information as well.

Here's what your tots will be eating for lunches this week.

Monday: Chickpea and rice goulash with onion gravy
(Everyone liked this well enough. No one was wild about it.)
Tuesday: Basque chicken (chicken stewed in tomato broth, with onions and green peppers), rice
(This was not a hit, and I won't serve it again soon. Eliana claimed to REALLY like it, but only ate one modest helping, veeery slowly, so I'm thinking the evidence doesn't substantiate her claims.)
Wednesday: Lentil curry with rice or pita
(Served it with rice, because I thought it might be a bit spicy. Eliana honestly did love this one, eating THREE bowls full. Astrid ate the same (but then, she always does!). Willa appeared to quite like it, and the boys ate what they were served with no fuss, but not a lot of obvious relish, either.)
Thursday: Stuffed Eggplant
Dominic and Willa quite liked this. The rest ate it without comment one way or the other. I let Eliana leave the eggplant skins behind. They'll all get it again, though, because I love it. :)
Friday: Macaroni and cheese (home-made), broccoli

You'll notice it's largely vegetarian, primarily because my family is largely vegetarian, eating meat about twice a week.

Snacks are done on the fly, but most often it's fruit of some sort, with cheese and crackers coming in a rather distant second, and on occasion it will be something we've baked -- muffins or cookies. I almost never give your kids candy. I figure that sort of treat is the parent's prerogative!

And, as ever, recipes available upon request!

The times they are a-changin'

... and the composition of the daycare is, too.

With Astrid's baby brother here, and Owen's baby sister well on the day, a couple of spots became vacant -- and have now been filled.

You may have seen a new face or two around in the past week. Here's what the registration looks like as of May 1:

The usual crew continues:
Eliana and Milan, Tuesday - Thursday, Milan full days, Eliana half.
Owen, Tuesday - Friday until the end of July.
Willa, full-time.

Additionally:
Norah, 12 months, began on Mondays and Fridays this month.
Dominic, 11 months (?) has begun weaning-in this week, and commences full-time next week.
In September, we will welcome Dava into full-time care. Dava will be 18 (20?) months old at that time.

If Dominic continues to be as cheerfully unphased by his time with me as he has done so far, then he and Norah will be, without any exaggeration, the easiest babies I have integrated in over ten years. Sometimes the universe is very kind. :)

And a reminder: my summer holiday this year runs from August 31 - September 10, inclusive.

This week's plans

Hmm... "Plans" probably overstates the case. We shall perhaps be better advised to call them 'intentions'. However, here's what I have in mind for the week:

Lunch Menu:
Monday: grilled cheese bagels and broccoli
Tuesday: turkey meatloaf and ratatouille
Wednesday: stuffed red peppers and salad
Thursday: black bean soup, cornbread, cooked carrot sticks
Friday: Chickpea and rice goulash with onion gravy

(Recipes for any of these available upon request!)

Our theme for the month is Spring. So far we have talked about rain -- hence the cotton-ball rainclouds and sparkling rain-showers on my dining room wall. This week, it's flowers. We have made egg-carton tulips already. This week we'll make hyacinths from round stamps and paint, and, if I get to the store, muffin-paper flowers, too.

Next week, we'll talk about mud and wind. To enrich that idea, we'll make chocolate pudding and decorate it with gummy worms in paper cups -- an unhealthy snack if ever there was one... We'll make pinwheels from card stock and a straw, and experiment with "blow painting" using watered-down tempera and straws. (Given the toddler inability to blow without spraying, this is probably more accurately called 'spit painting' -- but a little moisture in the wind is very spring-like, too, right? Right??)


I also plan on lots of park time, outdoor play, sidewalk chalk and bubbles. We may as well get out there and experience the Spring we're talking about!

Peek!

New Baby Nora checks out the resident children.

Owen decides to entertain her with a game of Peek-a-boo, but baby Nora is distracted. (That's Astrid in behind.)

Baby Nora enjoys the entertainment... but now Owen is distracted by the camera!

Owen will make a good big brother!